John Kay Heywood

[naomi]

An ancestor,John Kay Heywood registered a patent for brewing equipment in 1866 giving his address as Kilkenny. He described himself as millwright and engineer. He died in Kilkenny in 1868 age 51. I suspect he may have come from Lancashire, and was father to my gt g'mother Annie Naomi Kay. He may or may not have been married to my Dolgellau-born gt gt g'mother,Gwen 'Kay' nee Ellis. I am keen to learn why he was in Kilkenny and where he came from.

[conahy calling]

There was a large brewing industry in Kilkenny up to 2014 - Smithwicks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithwick%27s

[heywood]

Hello Naomi and welcome 

He may well have just been working there - Ireland was not a separate country and there was travel between England and Ireland for work.

Do you mean Kay Heywood from Bury? He is described as a millwright in 1851 and a mechanic in 1841.
I can't see him or his wife, Sarah, in 1861 nor a death for Sarah 1851-1861.
I don't understand why your gt grandmother would have Kay as her surname and not Heywood.
Where was she born?

Regards
Heywood

(I am no relation - Heywood is just my name on here 

[naomi]

Thanks Conahy for info re Smithwicks

And thanks Heywood for your thoughts. I have got the Kay Heywood you mentioned as a possible. My gt gt G'mother (Gwen Ellis) was a bit of a girl-4 partners but only married the last one. She called herself Gwen Kay and named her daughter Annie Naomi Kay, but her son by another father she called Kay Heywood Jenkins. He was born in Kilkenny. Gwen came from Dolgellau, Wales. This led me to 'John Kay Heywood' in Kilkenny and on his death certificate he is recorded as 'married' but the informant was 'Gwen Kay.' Maybe she just stalked him!!!!! All very intriguing.

[heywood]

It is intriguing, isn't it.
It all does sound very plausible, especially as Gwen is the informant of his death.
He was baptised Kay Heywood - son of Samuel and Peggy, no mention of John. There is a possible marriage for parents, Samuel Heywood and Margaret Dykes.
It looks as though the last child in Bury was Ellen in 1853.
Kay was seen as a first name in the local area.

[naomi]

Thank you again Heywood-for your thoughts and info. My gt g'mother Annie Naomi Kay was born in Wales in 1851-so maybe the mysterious John Kay Heywood was on his way to Ireland and got Gwen 'into trouble ' as he stopped off in Dolgellau. (Gwen's sister managed to have 3 illegitimate children, so it seems I have colourful ancestors!) I have contacted Kilkenny Archaeological Society as they have local records but no response so far.

[heywood]

I can see that there may be a connection with the son Kay Heywood Jenkins but not sure re Annie Naomi.
It is difficult to tell but 1851, Kay Heywood is with his wife and children and having more children later.
Does the death certificate give addresses for both John K and Gwen?
Does it say that she is the wife- you said it shows him as married.
In 1861, his children are with relatives or working, except for the youngest child who is in a home so it looks as though Sarah has died.

[naomi]

Hello again Heywood,

I'm not convinced the 'Kay Heywood' is my man-but regarding the death cert. of John Kay Heywood-his place of death is given as Hermit Well, Kilkenny,-he is 51 and 'married'. The informant is 'Gwen Kay' address Dean Street Kilkenny. He died of fever and bronchitis after being ill for 16 days,this was in 1868.

Annie Naomi Kay, born Wales about 1851 recorded her father as John Kay, engineer, deceased, when she married in the 1890s.

Annie Naomi's half brother 'Kay Heywood Jenkins' gave his father as William Jenkins, occup. unknown, deceased, on his marriage in about 1901.

If only Gwen had written her adventurous life down!

This is such a tangled web I'm not sure I will ever unravel it!

[heywood]

The age fits for John/Kay Heywood and the occupation does also.

It may well remain a mystery.